1. Gaming Disorder and Mental Health Symptoms
Gaming disorder (GD) was measured with a questionnaire about video game habits. It asked about six experiences:
- Thinking about gaming a lot
- Needing to play more to get the same feeling
- Playing to escape problems or feelings
- Finding it hard to control gaming
- Feeling upset or uncomfortable when unable to play
- Taking risks or missing opportunities because of gaming
The total score could range from 6 to 36. A higher score meant the teen showed more signs of gaming disorder. The questions were based on recognized medical guidelines.
Mental health symptoms were measured using information reported by caregivers on five areas: depression, ADHD, social problems, anxiety, and conduct problems. Each area had its own score range. Higher scores meant more symptoms in that area. Researchers combined these areas to represent a general level of mental health difficulties.
2. Personal Core Characteristics
The study looked at several personal and social factors that might be related to gaming disorder.
Negative life events and sex: Teens reported events from the past year, such as a family member having a drug or alcohol problem or someone in the family dying. For each event, they said whether it was mostly good or mostly bad. Researchers added up the mostly bad events. Scores ranged from 0 to 51; higher scores meant the teen had experienced more negative events. A parent reported the teen’s sex.
Family conflict and bullying: Family conflict was measured with questions about disagreements at home, such as whether family members fight a lot. Scores ranged from 0 to 9, with higher scores meaning more conflict. Teens also answered questions about experiences with other young people, such as being left out of an activity. Bullying scores ranged from 9 to 45; higher scores meant more bullying experiences.
Impulsivity: Impulsivity means acting quickly without always thinking about what might happen next. Teens answered questions about five parts of impulsivity, including acting quickly when feeling strong emotions, seeking exciting experiences, and having trouble planning or sticking with tasks. One example was saying things when feeling rejected and later regretting them. Scores ranged from 20 to 77; higher scores meant more impulsive behavior. This was measured only at the study’s two-year and four-year follow-up visits.